Cigarette consumption by age

Bar chart showing average daily cigarette consumption by age group in 2020. Trends described in text. Data table below with 95% confidence intervals. In 2020, average daily cigarette consumption varied significantly by age group.¹⁶ Consumption was lowest among smokers aged 15-24, at fewer than 9 cigarettes per day (CPD), compared to a high of 13 CPD among smokers aged 25 through 54 (Figure 1.9).

Between 1999 and 2020, average daily cigarette consumption appears to have decreased overall in all age groups, though least among smokers aged 25-34 (Figure 1.10). A general pattern of increasing consumption with increasing age (though often a slight drop after 55) held for most years between 1999 and 2020, although with some variation.

Figure 1.9 data table with 95% confidence intervals

Figure 1.9: Average daily cigarette consumption*(mean cigarettes per day) by age group, 2020
	15-24**	25-34	35-44	45-54	55+
2020	8.8 [6.8-10.9]	13.0 [8.8-17.2]	13.0 [8.6-17.3]	13.0 [1.8-15.1]	12.4 [10.8-13.9]

*Among daily smokers.
**Age groups 15-19 and 20-24 combined due to low numbers.
Data source: Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey, 2020.

Line graph showing average daily cigarette consumption by age group from 1999 to 2020. Trends described in text. Data table below with 95% confidence intervals.

Figure 1.10 data table with 95% confidence intervals

Figure 1.10: Average daily cigarette consumption*(mean cigarettes per day) by age group, 1999-2020
	15-19	20-24	25-34	35-44	45-54	55+
1999	13.1	15.0	15.8	19.0	19.6	17.9
2000	12.7	13.9	16.2	17.6	18.5	18.4
2001	12.9 [11.9-13.8]	13.9 [13.1-14.8]	14.4 [13.2-15.6]	17.9 [16.6-19.2]	17.1 [16.0-18.3]	17.7 [15.6-19.7]
2002	12.9 [12.2-13.7]	14.0 [13.0-15.0]	14.2 [13.2-15.2]	18.1 [17.2-19.1]	18.4 [17.3-19.6]	17.6 [15.6-19.5]
2003	12.3 [11.5-13.1]	12.7 [11.9-13.6]	15.0 [13.8-16.2]	15.5 [14.5-16.5]	17.8 [16.4-19.2]	18.4 [16.7-20.0]
2004	11.6 [10.4-12.8]	12.8 [11.8-13.8]	13.6 [12.3-14.9]	16.0 [14.5-17.5]	17.8 [16.5-19.1]	15.9 [14.3-17.5]
2005	11.0 [10.0-12.0]	13.3 [12.4-14.2]	14.4 [13.1-15.7]	16.2 [14.8-17.6]	19.0 [16.9-21.1]	15.7 [14.3-17.1]
2006	12.3 [11.3-13.3]	12.9 [12.1-13.7]	13.8 [12.3-15.4]	16.0 [14.8-17.3]	17.9 [16.7-19.0]	15.8 [14.4-17.3]
2007	11.7 [10.7-12.8]	13.0 [12.1-14.0]	13.2 [12.1-14.3]	16.1 [14.8-17.5]	17.2 [16.0-18.3]	16.6 [15.1-18.2]
2008	12.2 [11.2-13.3]	12.2 [11.3-13.2]	13.2 [11.6-14.8]	15.7 [14.1-17.2]	15.7 [14.3-17.0]	16.7 [15.3-18.1]
2009	11.4 [10.3-12.6]	12.9 [11.9-13.8]	12.5 [11.3-13.7]	13.4 [12.2-14.7]	16.9 [15.8-17.9]	15.8 [14.5-17.1]
2010	11.6 [10.6-12.6]	12.7 [11.7-13.8]	14.3 [12.8-15.9]	14.9 [13.4-16.5]	16.6 [15.0-18.2]	15.9 [14.6-17.2]
2011	11.7 [1.03-13.22]	11.9 [10.9-12.9]	11.8 [10.5-13.2]	14.8 [13.3-16.3]	16.6 [15.2-18.0]	15.2 [13.9-16.5]
2012	11.1 [9.1-13.2]	12.7 [11.5-13.9]	13.3 [11.5-15.0]	15.3 [13.0-17.6]	15.9 [14.2-17.6]	16.6 [15.1-18.0]
2013	9.21 [7.6-10.9]	11.8 [10.3-13.2]	12.8 [11.2-14.4]	14.3 [12.4-16.1]	14.6 [12.9-16.4]	15.2 [14.0-16.4]
2015	11.6 [9.1-14.1]	11.8 [10.3-13.4]	12.1 [9.8-14.5]	13.9 [11.9-16.0]	15.2 [13.7-16.8]	14.5 [13.0-16.1]
2017	9.4 [7.5-11.3]	10.7 [9.4-11.9]	15.3 [11.3-19.2]	11.3 [9.0-13.6]	15.0 [13.0-17.0]	14.0 [12.6-15.4]
2019	8.9 [7.2-10.7]**		10.6 [8.3-12.9]	10.4 [8.9-11.8]	12.4 [10.6-14.1]	12.7 [11.2-14.2]
2020	8.8 [6.8-10.9]**		13.0 [8.8-17.2]	13.0 [8.6-17.3]	13.0 [10.8-15.1]	12.4 [10.8-13.9]

*Among daily smokers.
**In 2019 and 2020, age groups 15-19 and 20-24 combined due to low numbers.
Data sources: Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey, 1999-2012; Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey, 2013, 2015, 2017; Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey, 2019, 2020.